Sept 08 - No no no, ME do it!

[CappuccinoCarrie]

Shiny new thread for Christmas!

What have you all got your lo's for Christmas? - M's not got anything big and I know she won't be bothered. I'd like to get her either a balance bike (but as she won't be able to use it outside for months there's no point in getting it now) or a toy kitchen (but I'm hoping they might be cheaper after Christmas)

She has a Trunki (more for our convenience) a Peppe Pig set (which will be Father Christmas's pressy) and a few charity shop soft toys and books and dvds. My MIL gave3 me some money and so far she has a talking Jess Cat (which she fell in love with when MIL was over) and that's it. I was thinking about saving the rest of the money to add to something in the sales.

Any ideas for something I can add to that that she'll love??

MrsA - I am very impressed with all the potty training (have to say I think you're quite bonkers doing it the winter... ), M knows when she's going to do things (goes to hide for a poo and if she doesn't have a nappy wees next to H's side of the bed!!). But she refuses to consider using a potty or the toilet and asks to have a nappy on

Megletitsnow - I sympathise, I think I need new wipers too but I'm trying to ignore the fact.

DD1 got a big Birthday pressy so isn't get much (but still more than M) a cheap scooter, a chemistry set a sarah-jane DVD and loads of books (some charity shop buys!!) and some clothes and another chemistry type set from MIL

I don't kow why I'm worrying, I'm doing that usual seem to have been buying bits and pieces for months but have nothing big. I always wish I had saved the money for one big present but I never learn!!

We have snow here again, but not too much. H stayed out last night afetr his fifth or sixth Christmas night out (I missed one because I was ill and my work one would have been yesterday but H put his on the calender first )

Oh and you have to make sure that you enjoy the childfree element of being away

I am so fed up of snot. How can there be so much snot in one head????? sob.

mrsa oh bless you, of course C wont forget you! She will miss you but try to look at it like she will get lots of daddy time Maybe if your dh could take a day off whilst you are away they could have a day out together???

I am going to cheer myself up by getting the xmas radio times issue and my highlighter pen and mark all the programmes that I want to watch/record over xmas.

Yes. I actually do that.

SCD final tonight. Too ill to even say whoo hoo and mean it

ninja ds1 has got quite a lot this year as he is now of the age to want nintendo dsi's etc but toby not so much....got him books, crayola set, dvds, chocolate reindeers, playmobil 123 farm with my tesco vouchers, thomas the tank stuff and a teddy bear.

They will both get money from some relatives (and FIL always puts money in their CTF accounts at xmas too) and I will take that to the sales and get them some clothes.

My two have got so much this year I am quite embarrassed Have taken 3 bin bags full of their old toys/books to the hospice shop to make myself feel less guilty.

It hasnt worked!

John Lewis have a fab wooden toy kitchen - its £80 but might be a lot less in the sale?
We got Toby the ikea one and he LOVES it...would recommend.

John Lewis Kitchen is £110 - am I missong something. It's lovely but a bit too much for us.

I have actually got some IKEA vouchers so that's a thought ....

I like the playmobil stuff too but have missed out on that in the sale (I hate things not being a bargain!)

Robyn is getting
slinky dog
gaston playset(ben and holly)
gaston cushion
mega blocks
travel art set
personalised blanket(more for me then her)
cuddly animals from ikea
dress up fairy with wand

Does that look like a lot?
we have tried to cap presents as we have no extra room for toys. Plus ds doesn't get a lot of presents due to him wrecking everything so have tried to make it look mre equal.

Next year we are getting Robyn and Lucy an ikea kitchen to share

That sounds good - lots of presents that are easy to play with and a couple of nice things.

I'm sure what I have is fine but as DD1 is strating to be skeptical about Father Cjhristmas :( I want things to be fairly even

Is it the red one ninja Could have sworn it was £80

The Ikea one is fab and you dont have to have the top bit - we did - toby plays with it every day and what I really like about it is that the light up hob section has a cut out so doesnt just stay on and waste batteries....genius.

The only playmobil stuff I have bought is either; the cheaper stuff or in the sale/with tesco vouchers. Its very expensive isnt it?

If toby likes his then I might try and get some in the sales for next years b day/xmas

ds1 and Toby also now both have hacking coughs a la me so its going to be a really fun weekend

We've got DS a set of 10 matchbox cars (actually got them for his birthday but he got so much other stuff we held them back) and a toy microwave from a charity shop. DD is getting a leap pad from ebay! They'll get a couple of bits from grandparents, godparents and uncles and I think that's enough. We are talking about spending their christmas money from great grandpa on the ikea kitchen.
DS has obv had a birthday recently, and DD's is in April, so we're trying hard not to get too much stuff at this point.
meglet you said you wanted to swear, I'm afraid 'balls' doesn't count!!
bec i'm so sorry you're feeling so ill :(
I loved the SCD final but thought Aliona lost it for Matt with such a poor show dance, I mean, where was the dancing?!
I reluctantly have to admit I think the right person won.
But still....SEVEN Len, SEVEN?!!! Tsk. Bring on the CHristmas special!
And have you all seen that there's going to be a One Born Every Minute Christmas special? :)

carrie the ikea kitchen is great

Feel awful. Been up all night with both dc who also have it now

Re; SCD...it was an odd final, wasnt it? Matts showdance wasnt really a dance, but I expected that from Aliona - she isnt the best choreographer. Pams showdance wasnt anything special and karas just didnt work at all. Matt has been under marked all the way through IMO. He was the only one who didnt make any mistakes!!!!

DD has got;

Tea party set
Kaleidoscope
Shark in the Dark book

And in her stocking;
INTG hair clips
Socks
Chocs

I'm keeping it to the bare minimum as I think the house might be about to explode at the seams.

The saga of the broken windscreen wipers continues, I can get to the dealers if the sun comes out tomorrow . Bloody women drivers .

becaroo Really hope you are all better soon.

carrie Yes, I saw that was on. I must tape it actually. I'm trying to clear old stuff from the freeview hard drive as I type (am watching peep show while the dc's nap), I've got it up to 11% free space. I even hoard tv programmes.

bec let's hope you'll have a lurgy-free household for Christmas!

Ds has got:
Hungry caterpillar jigsaw
Playdough puppy set (Leftover from a shoot at work, so free)
Xmas eve pyjamas
Big ticket item: Mini microscooter and helmet

Think my mum may have bought him far too much stuff. He's getting a set of popperless vests and big boy pants from her though! Think I'm more excited about that than he will be

carrie am sort of looking forward to one born every minute (am still fascinated by childbirth, but feel sad that it's not yet in the calendar for me).

Snow here in London is surprisingly treacherous. Have to go into work tomorrow - but am not sure what travel situation is like. Also have acupuncture on Tuesday which I really don't want to miss. Would be completely fine with being snowed in on Weds & Thurs though, as long as we've got the Turkey by then.

Hurrah for Kara winning!

I thought all of the show dances were a bit naff tbh.

I've got the SCD xmas special and One Born Every Minute on the Sky+ planner.

we've got ds:

xmas pj's
Jupiter fire engine
hungry caterpillar fuzzy felt
telly tubbies magic face cloth
milkybar polar bear
The Snowman book with magnets

He's getting loads of stuff from the family so we've not really spent much.

I feel better now - mine won't get much from family (my mum's got M a toy travel cot from the charity shop she helps in - which she'l LOVE)

we've got ds2 Jessie from toy story and some farm stuff. He's also got a couple of books and things like socks, a car, choc coins in his stocking.
DS1 is getting Buzz and a hotwheels track thing.

They're also getting a castle, dinosaur car track thing (ELC), playmobil and goodness knows what else from family.

Have really hurt my back today sledging. Went over a bump with ds1 on with me and jarred it. Also dragging him back on the sledge hasn't helped.

Am trying to get food planning for Christmas done. Thinking of tasty, fancy things to do is easy but thinking about all the other meals between now and New Year is a bit boring.

A is getting a set of Timmy Time jigsaws, some felt tips and A3 pad of paper, and for his stocking a plastic cup and bowl with fish on, a beanbag turtle, a tambourine, and some easy-to-unwrap chocolate.
And a mountain of train track and a couple new trains (from BIL and family, all second-hand), and a mountain of random stuff from ILs. And more from my parents - I told them what he'd really like is a Chuggington comic and a contribution to his university fund, but I know there's at least a couple books and clothes.

A had his Christmas concert at nursery on Friday. Unfortunately he doesn't normally go on Fridays so when we passed the station he started a huge tantrum "Go on TRAIN!!!", was still going and snot-covered when we arrived, and then saw his room full of parents while the kids were all being arranged in baby room. They'd got him down to muted whinging once we entered (but no reindeer hat etc), but then he sat on my lap through the whole thing - he cheered up half way through and tidied up the instruments.

It was very sweet though and half the kids were great. Then Father Christmas gave out presents - A wouldn't cross the room to get it but has spent today saying he likes FC who was at nursery. And he liked the party afterwards.

A and dn played in the snow yesterday. They don't want to build anything but buckets and spades and rakes were a hit.

M is now a Father Christmas groupie - 2 weeks ago she cried and said he was scary, now she thinks he's great and tells him she has peppa pig on her dress!!

we haven't really done any snow play. DD1 is a bit bored having had so much at the begibnning of the year

ugh.

Just taken dc to GP. Toby up all night with a raging fever and ds1 wheezing/coughing all night. ds1 got to up his asthma meds and Toby has got ABs

Feel so wretched so may not be back on MN til after xmas sooooo......

A Very Merry Christmas to you and yours, and best wishes for 2011.

Thank you for all the help/encouragement/advice etc over the past year.

xxxx

phone still not working. Seems to have recovered from the water damage but has a software issue I think. getting an unknown error code that I don't know what to do about.

DH has a big dilemma today. He's been offered another job but doesn't know if he should take it. He's 'at risk' in his current job but if a couple of projects come in he'd be pretty safe as he'd be the only person who could do them. He'd love to do these potential projects but even if they do come in they'd only be for 6 months and so he could just be put at risk again. Doing projects with this particular customer are all that's making him want to stay with his company work wise. But he likes working there as it's a 5 minute drive from home and he can he home for tea every night. he also drops off and picks up the boys on the days I work.

The new job is offering a bit more money but is a 45-60 min commute (each way) and the extra money isn't much more than the extra petrol costs.
It would also mean I'd have to drop ds1 at before school club (we think he'd still be able to drop ds2 at childminders but wouldn't have time to do both drop offs) which would cost money and mean he's at school longer.
I'd have to pick up the boys too much isn't a major issue but is inconvenient and then I'd have to do the cooking after we've got home which makes tea late and stressful (I know that's what most people who work have to do so I am just being selfish with this point. We've got used to me coming home to make tea while dh goes and gets the boys)
BUT the new job seems a lot more secure and if his current job lets him have redundancy then the money would obviously be good.

Bec Hope you are all feeling better soon and have a Happy Christmas.

Enjoying a lazy birthday today and then having a pub lunch with dp and our dd's, ds is still at school today and tomorrow.

I think Pamela should of got through to the last 2 instead of Matt. Glad Kara won in the end.

bookmarking. I am not allowed to come back until I've sewed the DC's mittens to their coats with elastic .

Debi that sounds a dilema - I can see why he's tempted to stay. My job is at risk but I enjoy it so I won't go unless I'm kicked!!

Bec Happy Christmas and hopw you're all felling better before the day.

Hapopy birthday Debs!! Have a great lunch.

Debi that's a hell of a dilemma. No easy answers - just got to do what feels right for the family. If DH does take it, I'm sure the boys will adjust. I always find the tea time rush quite hellish - tired toddler, tired mum and tired dad, all trying to fit 'quality time' in. The donwside of no nappies is when C wants my attention, she knows I'll come and help her on the potty. Clever girl

Just a question, ladies. What do you do if your LOs come into your room early but not early enough IYKWIM? C normally wakes about 6.30/6.45 but lately has got up bang on 6am, and come into our room wanting to get into bed.

If it was 5am ish, I'd take her back to her room no bother but it seems daft to do it at 6am but DP and I are really missing that extra 30mins and C is complaining she's tired. We've tried to explain it's because she's getting out of bed too early but think she's too young.
Any tips or just suck it up?
Oh and she's not cold and there's nothing happening to wake her (eg heating coming on - we're leaving it on all night at the mo!)

Oh and xmas pressies:

tangerine, book and chocloate santa in her stocking.

Big presents:
lots of little peppa stuff (glow lamp, toy tidy) plus some jigsaws from her birthday when she got too much stuff.
My sister's got her the peppa phonics game.

Her 2 'big' presents from us are a Cosy Coupe car and a lego set as she's really into building.
I did want to get her a balance bike or scooter but it's really clear she's not ready yet. She still adores the cosy coupe at nursery and wouldn't get out of it at toys r us, despite being surrounded by other bikes and trikes. It was £36 in the sale.

Tbh, I can't wait - she's got all excited about 'father cripmas coming with present and to play with me'. Bless her - loving this age despite the tantrums. Got lots of baking and craft planned for over xmas if weather still bad.

M calls him Farmer Missmass, sounds very sweet

Those cars are great MrsA but beware when other kids come to play - there'll be fights (and you'll just have to buy another